Car-seal.



No, 837,505. PATENTED DEG. 4, 1906A H. J. PRICE.-

GAR SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 19,1906.

Prim Nosms Perales co.. wAsHmcroN. n. c.

UNrrE srrrrns PATENT OFFICE.

-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 4, 1906.

Application filed Ap1ll9,1906. Serial No. 312,604.

To rtl?, who-m, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT J. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Amesbury, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Seals and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art yto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in car-seals.

The object of the invention is to provide a seal for freight-cars and the like which may be quickly applied to the same and. which may be also used for sealing valuable packages of any kind.

vAnother object is to provide a seal constructed of a comparatively inexpensive material and so arranged as to be closed without the use of an especially-constructed instrument and which when closed will be re liable and secure.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement oi parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the front side ofthe seal, showing the same in closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the inner side of the back disk. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the arrangement of the wire loop therein before the ends of the latter are engaged and fastened. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the seal with the ends of the wire engaged, but not clenched. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the ends of the wire clenched 5 and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the wire loop used in connection with the seal, showing the ends of the wire connected in full lines and disconnected in dotted lines.

Referring more particularly to the draw* ings, 1 denotes the seal, which consists of front and rear plates or disks 2 and 3. The iront disk 2 has formed around its edge an annular clenching-fiange 4, whereby when said disks are engaged the flange 4 is tightly clenched around the edge of the rear disk, thereby securely fastening the two disks together.

In the rear disk 3 is formed a substantially U-shaped groove 5, the ends of which open through one side or edge of the disk, as shown. One of the arms of the groove 5 is increased in width to form a recess 6, said recessed end of the groove being provided with a depression 7, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Adapted to be used in connection with the disks 2 and 3 is a wire-fastening loop 8, one end of which is bent upon itself to form a substantially U-shaped loop which conforms to and is adapted to be engaged with the groove 5 in the rear disk 3. The end of the bent or looped portion of thedisk has formed thereon a hook 9, which when the looped end of the wire is inserted in the groove 5 is adapted to engage the depression 7 in the recess 6 in said groove, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The looped or U-shaped end of the wire is adapted to be held in the groove 5 by the front plate of the disk when said plates or disks are clenched together. The flange 4 of the front plate is cut away where the same engages the wire passing into the groove 5 and is also cut away opposite the recess 6 in the lower disk to provide a passage forthe opposite end of' the wire-fasteningloop. The opposite end of the wire-fastening loop is provided with an eye 10, which' after the loop has been engaged with an article to be sealed is inserted through the passage in the flange 4 and through the recess 6 in the end of the groove 5 and is engaged with the open hook 9 on the opposite end of the wire. After the eye V10 has been thus engaged with the hook 9 said hook is closed by pressure applied to the opposite sides of the disks 2 and 3 above and below the hook. Thenecessary pressure may be applied to the hook 9 through the disks 2 and 3 by an ordinary pair of pliers or any suitable instrument, and when thus closed the eye cannot become disengaged or the loop of the wire opened with out cutting said wire or mutilating the disk, which will indicate that the seal has been tampered with.

A seal constructed las herein shown and described may be formed of inexpensive material, the disks 2 and 3 being constructed of tin or a cheap grade of sheet metal, which will reduce the cost of manufacture over the common construction of seals formed of lead or other malleable metal.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inven- IOO tion'will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion,

and the minor details of construction maybe 5 resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, whatY 1o I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A seal comprising front and rear sheetmetal disks, means for securing said disks together, a U-shaped groove formed in one of said disks, a wire-fastening loop having one end bent upon itself to form a U-sh'aped loop to lie in said groove, a hook formed on said bent end of the wire, and an eye formed on the opposite end of said wire to engage said hook between said disks.

2. A seal comprising a pair of sheet-metal disks, means for securing said disks together, an approximately U-shaped groove formed in one of said disks and having a depression formed in one wall thereof, a fastening-loop having one end bent to conform to the U- shaped groove and adapted to lie therein, a hook on the bent end of said loop to engage the depression in the wall of said groove, and

3o an eye on the other end of the loop to engage said hook, said hook being closed upon said eye by pressure exerted on the outer faces of the disks.

3. A car-seal comprising a front disk and a rear disk formed of sheet metal, an annu- 3 5 lar iiange formed around the edge of said front disk to engage the edge of said rear disk, whereby said disks are clenched together, a U-shaped groove formed in said .rear disk, said groove having a recess and 4o a depression formed therein, a wire-fastening loop having one end bent to conform to the shape of the U-shaped groove in said disk, whereby said bent endl of the wire is secured between said disks, a hook formed on the 45 bent end of the wire and engaged with the depression in the recess of said groove, and an eye formed on the opposite end of the wire to engage the hook on the bent end of' the same, said hook being adapted to be 5o closed upon saidleye by pressure on the outer sides of said disks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof lhave hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 5 5 nesses.

HERBERT J. PRICE.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C CLARK, JOHN E. CHEsLEY. 

